Survival of the Fittest
by paulatheprokaryote
Summary: The Goblin Registry Act left the wizarding world in a state of destruction and despair. The oppressed have become the oppressors. As far as Riya Gosavi is concerned, today is a fine day for a revolution.
1. Chapter 1

The end of the world is the kind of thing that you never see coming until it comes and then it's all you can see anymore. My best friend claims love is like that too, but at 17, who really even knows what love is? I stared at the kettle sizzling over a smoldering fire, hoping to pull it off just before it starts to whistle. I know what you're thinking. Why not let it whistle? Because it's not safe. Why not just use magic to silence it? Because they are watching. Who's they? Well none of us know for certain. Our best guess is part of the goblin rebellion. All we know for certain is that magic is being watched. Sometimes the magic is safe, nothing happens. Sometimes just a wee bit of magic is performed and suddenly _WHOOSH_ , innocents are taken. Mostly the people just disappear, but sometimes the goblins come instead. We try not to talk about when the goblins come. My best friend figures it's the same kind of trace magic that the Ministry uses, well used, on underaged students. I figure that none of us want to be taken to find out. My best friend, for the record, is Theodore Pinkerton. I keep telling him to go by Theo because Theo is the kind of name that elicits mental images of handsome, dangerous men with chiseled jaw lines, but he insists on Theodore.

"Don't want to disappoint them from the start!" He laughs. Well, he used to laugh. He hasn't laughed even once since his sister was taken. Now that I think about it, he hasn't smiled either. The thing about children is that it's hard for them to bottle in their magic when they are frightened. We were always frightened.

Just as the kettle began the low whistle I snatched it off the fire and dumped the contents into our reusable water bottles. The tea tasted vile, but we choked it down anyway. The distinct sour flavor of citrusy aspirin coated my tongue and Theo cringed outwardly. Today it was pine needle tea. The most abundant of ingredients, seeing as this part of the forest was nothing but pines. The vitamin C would help us keep a robust immune system and most importantly keep our energy up. Neither of us were skillful hunters and food was scarce. My ribs and hips were becoming more pronounced with every waking moment. The gnawing hunger aching in my stomach couldn't be sated on pine needles. As we sipped the last of our tea, a crunch of leaves and a ricochet of startled birds sent us packing our knapsacks frantically. I shoved the searing hot kettle into the knapsack, grabbed Theo's hand with my free one, and pulled him into a sprint through the woods. His heavy breathing did us no favors and I was certain that anyone within a few kilometers could hear the blood pounding against my eardrum, hammering the familiar tune of survival in my mind. We just needed survive long enough to make it to Greenland.

"Riya, do you think anyone–?" Theo began to ask if he thought we'd been followed. I shook my head vigorously, but we both sprinted onward, careful of the hazardous lay of the land. We very well could have been followed, hell, we probably were. The thing about Theo is that he just needs reassurance. Panic attacks aren't conducive to our attempts to survive. We didn't slow until we were in much denser woods. We'd be more difficult to follow here.

"Did you know that one of King Arthur's twelve battles took place here?" Theo asked me as we stumbled through the knobs and tree roots threatening to trip us.

"Really?" I asked disinterested. All I wanted was to pitch our tent and rest my aching legs.

"Yeah, Merlin and his legion created an army of trees to battle the enemy!" Theo went on, oblivious to my lack of interest.

"Fascinating." I retorted sarcastically. Sarcasm could strip down to its knickers and smack Theo in the face and he'd still have no idea.

"Right? The name comes from Pliny the Elder. Did you know that it's a temperate rainforest?" Theo prattled on.

"Theo, you know I love you, but for Merlin's sake and mine. Please. Shut. Up." I snapped. He puckered his face with a sour expression but did shut up.

If I had been anyone else he'd no doubt be affronted. He'd probably go on some mind numbing rant about ancient rituals to sacrifice the tongue of someone so rude or something equally annoying. Bloody Hufflepuffs and their love for torturing innocent Slytherin girls stuck hiding in forests and drinking pine needle tea. Merlin, I miss the Three Broomsticks. Hell, at this point I'd even settle for Puddifoot's and that's saying something.

"You know what I would kill for right now?" I asked Theo, wanting to lighten the mood and make his face stop scrunching in that unpleasant way.

"A bath?" Theo teased, rubbing dirt from my nose.

"That too, but Mum's pork vindaloo." Theo loved my mum's cooking. When he visited us on the island last summer he nearly ate us out of house and home. Mum, naturally, loved him for it.

Theo moaned at the the thought. "And those rolls she makes with the good crust."

Another cracking noise resonated across the forest and I grabbed Theo's arm, pulling him under a large overhanging rock that was tangled with snaking tree roots. He opened his mouth to ask me what the bloody hell I was doing, but I covered his mouth quickly with my hand. He nodded and I released him, hand drifting toward the zipper of my backpack. My machete was packed away. The noise of quiet crunching drew closer and Theo's eyes widened.

I inhaled deeply, overwhelmed by the musky scent of the mossy, moist earth. I held the breath for as long as I could, hoping desperately not to give myself away. I pushed my body as hard as I could against the freezing rock and compacted soil, willing myself to be invisible. Of course, I wasn't invisible because that would require the use of precious magic and a massive risk. Insects descended on the new habitat that was my body. Leafhoppers and needle sized beetles crawled on my skin, perhaps confused that I was nearly the same shade as the clay I was pressing my body against, and it took all of my willpower not to scream. The tiny legs were almost as terrifying as the horrendous, bloodthirsty creature about to descend on us. Almost.

Theo glanced at me, a question scrawled across his glowing pale face. I knew what the question was from the last close call we had. If it's a goblin, will we risk disapparating? Yes. Absolutely. I nod slowly. The other option was to pretend to be muggle campers but that comes with all sorts of dangers itself. It's better to take the risk of being taken rather than risk being killed outright.

The crunching noise was practically on top of us. My breathing was so loud, my heart was pounding. I just knew I'd give our position away. I covered my own mouth to muffle the sound. I mentally listed our rendezvous points in case one of us was taken. _Borough High Street, Lavender Hill, Piccadilly Market._ These points were picked, despite being difficult to find each other, for the very reason that it would be difficult to find anyone in such a mess.

Theo gripped my hand, squeezing it reassuringly. I dared not look at him. I dared not move. Suddenly, a loud thud landed in front of us. I sucked in air, terror filling every nanometer of my being. I didn't care about the tiny monsters crawling across my skin anymore. Only the monster standing before me. I felt Theo freeze beside me. The small goblin, with sharply pointed ears and saggy leather skin, standing directly in front of us let out a muffled grumble of Gobbledegook, rubbing his sore back that was facing us. He paused a moment, ears perked, and slowly glanced across the woods from side to side. His long, bony fingers drummed into his side. I could make out a missing fingernail on his left hand. It was fleshy and raw looking, oozing something that appeared to be blood. I bit my lip, praying to gods I don't believe in that his neck wouldn't crane our way. Then, he took a step toward the trail he no doubt believed that we followed.

Even after he was long gone, we dared not move or speak.

With the early hours of nightfall, we were concealed enough to feel safe. Well, relatively safe. Goblins had notoriously awful eyesight and the darkness would just further compound it.

I stepped away from the overhang and glanced side to side. Theo peaked out behind my back, wobbling when I stepped forward into the night.

"The caverns were only a couple of kilometers out. Let's hurry." I explained as I broke into a jog. Theo was not a fan of jogging or running or really any physical activity other than video games (does that even count as physical activity? Theo says yes, but I say no), but the darkness brought out the darker creatures of the forest so he nearly sprinted.

He complained in hushed tones as we hurried to the caverns. Caves were popular destinations for witches and wizards on the run but we still haven't come across more than a few stragglers since our last camp. No one trusts each other to stay long other than to exchange news.

The last straggler we found was a lone teenager not much older than us, maybe 19. He, like most of the wizarding world, immediately tried to blend in with the muggles. His family believed that since they didn't vote for the Goblin Registry Act (GRA for short) the goblins wouldn't come after them. Like all witches and wizards with this mindset, they were shortly eliminated. Unfortunately, the goblins were merciless. They demolished entire muggle villages in the hunt for magical folk. Goblins had enough of wizarding kind. All of them.

A bellowing growl rumbled through the forest, causing us to stop again. Theo sunk against a tree and I crouched down, trying to determine which way the sound had emanated from. The growl rang out again, this time much closer. Theo let out a whimper and I smacked his leg. It was reckless to make any unnecessary noises at a moment like this. He mouthed an "ow" to me but I shook my head, a finger to my lips.

The sound was very reminiscent of a manticore and though it was unlikely that they would be in this part of the world, I wouldn't be too surprised if that's exactly what it was.

I glanced back at at Theo with a glare that I hope translated roughly into "shut the hell up" and waited for another growl. It was close and it seemed to be coming from the direction of the caverns. _Borough High Street, Lavender Hill, Piccadilly Market_.

I turned slowly, silently to face Theo and pointed up. He looked up slowly, his face as pale as the moon hanging in the sky and I realized he misunderstood me. He thought the possible manticore was in the tree. I rolled my eyes and pushed him carefully to the side and grabbed ahold of the lowest hanging branches, pulling myself up. Understanding dawned on him and he followed me up the tree. The caverns were likely compromised and sleeping in the tree canopy was our best bet.

Theo didn't have to say a word, the whining emanated like an aura around him. The last time we slept in a tree he fell in the middle of the night and knocked into a hornet's nest on his way down. I only laughed a little before helping him because I'm an excellent friend. I secured the rope around my waist and encouraged him to do the same. It was uncomfortable and I wouldn't sleep well but I wouldn't fall out of the tree and have to risk using magic.

"Does it feel like we are being watched?" Theo whispered just as my eyes fluttered close.

"I think we already established we are being followed." I whispered back referring to the goblin incident.

"No, it feels different." He hissed. I knew what he meant. After we lost the goblin it still felt like we were being followed. It didn't feel as terrifying though. I couldn't find the words to comfort him or explain how it felt so I just tried to shut him up.

"Try to get some sleep, Theo. We're going to need our energy." If something was hunting us we wouldn't be difficult to find. Both of our stomachs were rumbling and grumbling with hunger and would soon be loud enough to attract hordes of goblins.

"Right. Wake me up when it's my turn to take watch." He nestled into the branch, but I knew he wouldn't sleep much.

Theo pretended to sleep and I kept watch. Then I pretended to sleep and he kept watch. The world was going to hell and we couldn't even be well rested for it.


	2. Chapter 2

I woke with a start, panic flushing my body. I managed to fall asleep at some point. Every single hair on the back of my neck stood erect, as if trying to detect what jerked me from such a rare sleep. Theo's ears were perked back like a cat. I would have laughed if I hadn't heard the same noise he heard. It was a loud crunch. Loud crunches translate into larger creatures. It wasn't just squirrels quarreling for acorns or a rabbit hopping for dear life. It was either a goblin or a human or something much worse.

I absently reached out for Theo because he was much more anxious than me and was a risk. He took my hand and I could feel him quietly exhale. Part of me wished that he wiped the clammy palm before I grabbed it, but that was just being nitpicky. That was old Riya surfacing her ugly head. I gave him a reassuring smile and made myself small against the tree branch I was leaning on. He did the same thing on another one. We were much more difficult to see if we pressed our bodies against the tree. The grime and dirt caked on our bodies and clothes also helped camouflage us.

Minutes passed and nothing came our way. Not even rabbits. I wouldn't call that a good sign necessarily, but we've seen worse and we really needed to keep moving. We silently climbed down the tree and made our way. We weren't wandering aimlessly, like I'm sure any onlooker would assume. Before all of the mail was being intercepted, my father told us to get ourselves to Cape Wrath up in the Highlands so we can catch a boat to Greenland. In Greenland, the Ministry of Magic will contact my parents in Goa, who will pay to have us shipped over to India.

With little more than a possibly broken compass, a backpack full of scavenged supplies, and two scrappy 17 year olds, we'd make it for sure.

"What are you thinking about?" Theo asked curiously eyeing my frown no doubt.

"What life will be like back in Goa. Do you think the goblins there will end up revolting too?" I lied a bit. I was thinking about how I was going to die in the woods caked in mud and one day maybe someone would find my body. If they found it they'd probably pick it over, scavenging supplies. We came to that crossroad once. We found a child, no more than fifteen, and we had to decide what to do. Our choice, to bury the dead instead of scavenge, is probably why I'll die out here. What if one more chocolate frog or pumpkin pasty or disgusting granola was all I needed to make it another day and I buried it with a dead girl.

"Doubt it. They've had seats on every council since the 17th century." Theo replied promptly with a reassuring look. Not a smile though. Never a smile.

"My parents will know what to do about Nora," I said suddenly when the lack of his smile overwhelmed me.

His expression blanked momentarily and I thought I lost him. He finally blinked and nodded blindly. For all we knew his sister was dead. Or worse.

"We'll get her back." I insisted with a final tone. Waves of guilt washed over me at the pain bringing her up must have caused him. I mentally cursed myself. I know better.

We walked in silence for a ways before Theo stopped suddenly, halting me by grabbing my arm.

"What's wrong?" I asked immediately searching the woods around me for goblins.

"Riya, I'm telling you someone is watching us." He replied in a tone far too serious for his personality. Theo was the gentle, sensitive one in the group. The one that tried to keep the peace. He wasn't the one to have a face of stone, even facing this nightmare we were living in. Borough High Street, Lavender Hill, Piccadilly Market.

I reached for my knapsack, digging through it for the short machete I nicked from muggle campers. Or possible fellow survivors trying to pass themselves off as muggles. Witches and wizards couldn't even trust one another now that Snatchers were everywhere, turning in their own kind for immunity.

"You need to keep that on your belt or something. We could have used it with the goblin yesterday." Theo grumbled.

"You really want to go at a goblin, full of unrestricted magic, with a glorified letter opener?" I teased. His lips twitched and for a brief moment I thought he was going to smile. He didn't.

"It's better than nothing," he said in a motherly, scolding tone.

"I suppose you're right." I relented. I looped it in my belt and we continued, glancing back every few meters. The dark baby hairs on the back of my neck prickled with that odd sensation. I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being watched and I had a feeling that Theo couldn't either.

"Part of me doesn't blame them, you know?" Theo asked conversationally. I knew what he was talking about.

"The goblins?" I asked for confirmation. His warm eyes met mine for only a moment. He always looked so tired. Maybe it wasn't because we weren't eating. Probably because we weren't sleeping. I think it was mostly because of Nora though.

"Yeah, I mean, this whole thing is wizarding kind's fault if you ask me," Theo said bitterly. After all, his sister was one of the Taken. Of course he was bitter.

"People are always looking for someone to hate." I agreed. We had both been very opposed to the anti-goblin and "lesser being" rhetoric we had to listen to from less open minded students back at Hogwarts.

"As long as there has been politicians there has been an oppressed minority used as a scapegoat to launch careers of said politicians. The Jews of Germany. The Muslims of America. The Irish of pretty much everywhere. And the goblins of the U.K." He listed out dismally  
Just last year Professor Binns taught us about the Goblin Rebellions in classroom 4F while we pretended we were awake and paying attention. Theo was diligently scribbling notes, the big old nerd, and I was throwing wads of parchment at his head. Unfortunately, last year the Wizengamot also proposed the Goblin Registry Act that would force all goblins to register their magic with the Ministry using magic similar to the trace which all underaged witches and wizards were all too familiar. Unfortunately for the Wizengamot, goblins had paid attention to history. "Goblin magic is far too powerful not to be monitored" the Minister often argued in his speeches, with his obnoxiously nasally voice droning on and on and on. His voice was so lackluster he should have been a professor. "Greedy goblins are the reason our economy has taken a fall" reporters wrote in the Prophet, not caring about the inflammatory hate speech that they inspired. The goblins, it turned out, weren't going to be another scapegoat of history for politicians trying to launch their careers.

"The Silver Rule," Theo said playfully as we trekked onward. I laughed. I'd forgotten about the Silver Rule. The Golden Rule was taken so we invented the Silver Rule to take its place in third year. Carl Creevey thought it was okay to bully ickle firsties, but Theo was too quick for him.

"Don't be an asshole." I answered him.

"It's that simple!" He waved his hands in frustration. If the entire world would just take a few measures to not be assholes the world would be such a better place.

A crackle of leaves not more than a meter away sent me flying in the air in the general direction of the sound. Theo let out a surprised squawk. My body collided with something solid as I tackled it to the ground. The solid thing let out a groan of discomfort and a face appeared out of nowhere looking rather pained as I slid my machete out of my loophole and held it to the face's throat.

"Why are you following us?" I spat at the face. I recognized the face immediately but I didn't dare put my blade down.

The face didn't answer. He looked panic stricken. His dark hair and trademark brown eyes, the eyes of his mother, had been papered across every tabloid since my youth. I found myself thinking about those eyes quite a bit during my more desperate moments. I wanted to laugh for a moment thinking about how horrified twelve year old me would be if she could see me right now.

"I'll ask you again, WHY ARE YOU FOLLOWING US?" I pushed the blade closer to his neck, causing him to sputter words.

"Riya! For fucks sake, you can't just slit James Potter's throat!" Theo exclaimed, rushing to James' side. I remained where I was, straddling him with the blade pressing cautiously against his skin.

"Watch me." I replied with a dangerous tone. He should know better than to challenge me, especially at a time like this.

"I'm—I'm supposed to be patrolling the area." He finally answered with an audible gulp.

"Why?" I asked, knowing why. His family must be camped out nearby.

James said nothing, clamping his mouth shut tight. He realized he'd give away his family's location if he opened his stupid mouth.

"Take me to your family." I demanded. Theo was shaking his head vigorously, James Potter doing the same.

"I really don't want to be at the other end of Harry Potter's wand, Riya." Theo voiced his concerns but they fell on deaf ears.

I pressed the blade harder on James' throat, blood beginning to trickle down my blade. I eased it back slightly.

"You'll have to kill me!" James said dramatically. I hate bloody Gryffindors and their annoying valor in all the wrong times.

I wound my free hand into his curly chestnut locks and hoisted him up with the blade still against his throat, close enough that trying to escape would be a death sentence. I pushed him to walk north first and he didn't respond. I stopped and turned him east and he didn't react at all. When I spun him south though the muscles in his back stiffened. I pushed him onward south and we stumbled slowly through the brush. About three kilometers in and far too many of Theo's speeches on why exactly I shouldn't have my blade on James' throat, James tensed up again and glanced to his right.

"Aha!" I laughed and we slowed to a stop. Every hair on James' neck was erect and I could feel his heart pounding through his shirt. I waited a few moments. If I was right, I'd be meeting the famous Harry Potter shortly.

"What the bloody hell do you think you are doing to my brother?" A voice rang as another boy materialized.

"Your brother? You must be Albus! Pleasure to meet you. I'd offer you my hand, but as you can see I'm a bit occupied," I said cordially. Despite the adrenaline coursing my veins, I wanted to seem calm and collected. I wanted them to know I was to be taken seriously.

"Let go of him!" The green eyed boy with a sour expression insisted.

"I will once I speak to your father!" I insisted.

He stared me down with a piercing gaze. He'd be handsome if he didn't look so arrogant. After what seemed to be an eternity, he turned around to fetch his father. My heart pounded, unsure of what kind of army I was bound to face.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry Potter was not as impressive as I imagined. I imagined a tall, muscular badass legend of a man. The kind of man that golden eagles would perch on to signify worthiness. The kind of man that commanded the attention of every person that passed him. The kind of man that could be greater than Albus Dumbledore, but still be cool about it. There he stood in all his glory, terror smeared across his face, with a pudgy belly and untamed eyebrows pleading with me for his son's life. Honestly, I was a bit disappointed.

"Riya." Theo cautioned, warm eyes begging me to put an end to this madness. I thrive in madness! I'm the queen of chaos!

"Shut it, Theodore!" I hissed in a sing-song voice.

"Riya, they aren't going to talk to us if you're about to kill their son." Theo tried to reason with me in that soft tone he's always using. The voice annoyed me to no end. It was his father's psychiatrist voice. The kind he'd use to the crazies to get them to not murder his secretary.

"I think it'll motivate them even more." I replied with a laugh that even I found a bit deranged sounding. Theo didn't seem to think it was funny.

"Riya," Theo said in a defeated tone. I tried to harden my resolve. I really did. I even knitted my eyebrows together and worked on steeling my glare. I made the mistake of glancing over at Theo, his soft brown eyes and worn face softened my resolve. I sighed audibly and his lips twitched. Almost a smile. I shoved James Potter toward his family. He stumbled slightly before rubbing his neck in relief.

"You act like I was actually going to kill him!" I exclaimed at Theo waving my knife in the direction of James, momentarily forgetting the very angry family in front of me.

"For all I know you might have!" Theo hissed, waving his hands in frustration.

"I'm not a total Slytherin!" I protested. Theo gave me an unimpressive look.

"Well, okay, I am but I'm not _that_ kind of Slytherin!" I continued to argue when Theo crossed his arms over his chest.

Harry Potter cleared his throat.

"Right, back on subject." I shot a glare at Theo before collecting myself.

"Your idiot son decided it was a good idea to spy on us. We returned him unharmed as an act of good faith. In exchange we want shelter for a bit. The goblins are closing in on us." I suggested as stony faced as possible. Well, returned him mostly unharmed. A little bit of blood oozing from his neck but that was mostly unintentional. It hardly counted at all.

"Why the bloody hell would we do that?" A fiery redhead I assume was Ginny Potter spat.

"As I said, goblins are closing in. It's only a matter of time before they snatch us and torture all of the information out of us. Based on the security charms you've obviously risked casting I don't think any of us want that." I ignored the pained look on Theo's face.

When Nora was taken, the entire camp we'd been with had been slaughtered on sight. We'd only just escaped. The idea of us being snatched and tortured must have brought up images of what they could be doing to Nora. Assuming she was still alive.

Harry stared me down, angrily. He was biting his lip so hard that blood was trickling from his lip. Ginny looked like she was considering the risks of being taken versus hexing me. James was still rubbing his throat anxiously. The younger girl, presumably Lily, was watching the action keenly, like it was some sort of television program. All of these paled in comparison to the look of fiery hate emanating from Albus Potter.

"Well?" I asked. "What'll it be?"

For an unnervingly long moment I thought I was going to be murdered. Instead, Harry walked away in a huff, disappearing entirely. Theo and I exchanged a look. He wanted to make a run for it. We were in too deep.

Harry came back, scarlet in the face with a visibly pulsating vein across his forehead, holding a torn piece of parchment with nearly illegible scrawling across it. He shoved the parchment into my hand forcefully.

 _Potter Family Tent Quarters #2_

I read it and shook my head in confusion. Was he trying to mess with us? Theo, however, seemed to understand perfectly by his excited expression. Anger bubbled up in my stomach. Is there anything in the world worse than being the last person to understand something?

"A Fidelius Charm." Harry answered without much emotion, despite his livid expression.

"A Fidelius Charm?" I repeated. "Surely you can't trust us that much!" His eldest son's blood was still dripping from my blade.

"I don't trust you in the slightest. That's why I made you read it. You aren't the primary secret keeper. You're a secondary one. Even if you wanted to you can no longer divulge our location," Harry said smugly.

"Clever!" Theo reached out and clapped him on the shoulder. I stared at him in shock. He clearly knows no boundaries. His hand froze on Harry's shoulder before he dropped it back down to his side, shoving it into his filthy denim pocket. Harry didn't seem so much furious as utterly and completely baffled. He genuinely couldn't decide what to think of us. I'm sure our pitiful appearance must have helped. I'm an adorable teenage girl and Theo is a gangly little shit and we both are disgustingly dirty and our hair is matted and our fingernails are caked in filth. How many adults could really turn us away?

"Well, it was clever!" Theo hissed at my remaining glare.

A small, scraggly looking canvas tent, the same color as ancient parchment, began to blur into vision and within a few blinks I could see it clearly.

"Okay, maybe this isn't worth it." I muttered to Theo who still had a wondrous look in his eye.

"It can't be…" He whispered, hurrying toward the tent. The Potter family didn't seem hostile to us entering the tent so I followed him with my weapon lowered, watching in my peripheral in case they decided to attack me when my back was turned.

I let out a gasp when I pushed my way into the tent. It was much larger on the inside and decadently furnished. There were enough beds for every member of the enormous Weasley-Potter clan, a massive kitchen, and a living room complete with furniture and floor cushions. The Potters, it was safe to say, had not suffered through this ordeal the same way we had. They had lived comfortably.

"Food is in the kitchen. Mostly canned meats and vegetables." A small voice squeaked behind us. I turned to face the younger girl, Lily. She was beautiful in a girl-next-door fashion. Her long eyelashes and scattered freckles made her demeanor appear immediately innocent. It was hard to hate her even if I didn't trust any of them.

"I remember you both from Hogwarts! Riya Gosavi and Theodore Pinkerton, right?" Theo nodded happily but I narrowed my eyes at her. We weren't exactly popular at Hogwarts so it was suspicious she remembered the pair of us.

"Slytherin and Hufflepuff respectively. You'd both be in your seventh year, right?"

"Yeah. You'd be starting your sixth, right?" Theo asked her. They fell into easy conversation and I watched them uneasily.

"Do they know each other?" A harsh voice murmured in my ear. I whirled around, face to face with the boy that oozed hatred.

"I wouldn't know." I replied snippily.

"Really? Riya Gosavi wouldn't know if her best friend knew someone? That seems unlikely." Albus' voice dripped with sarcasm.

"You know who I am?" I asked in surprise, dropping my guard. Of course I knew who he was. Hell, all of wizarding kind knew his entire family. At Hogwarts though I kept a low profile. Theo and I spent every waking moment in the library. We were honorary Ravenclaws (not really, that's totally not a thing). I had to have good marks if I wanted to go back to India and work with my dad and he was suspiciously nerdy for a Hufflepuff.

"You were in fifth year when I was in seventh. We shared the same house for five years. Of course I know who you are," he said with disdain. His eyes swept over me with little more than irritation.

I didn't respond to him. We both watched as Lily and Theo chatted happily, Lily throwing her head back with laughter every few minutes. Theo looking like he might actually smile. Something in my gut knotted. It would be wrong for this random girl to make him laugh when I was his best friend.

Harry stalked into the tent glowering.

"You're pretty brave to stay here. What makes you so sure it's safe for you?" Harry asked with a sneer. He wasn't at all the Chosen One I had been anticipating.

"What? Are you planning on slitting my throat while I sleep? You're Harry Potter and I'm a 17 year old girl. I don't think it's in your nature to kill." I stared him down. You probably shouldn't challenge the man who single handedly defeated the Dark Lord and is considered the greatest auror of all time, but try telling me that.

"I'm literally famous for killing." Harry let out a boisterous, mocking laugh.

"Okay, but Voldemort was pure evil. I'm pure awesome." I joked. Harry didn't laugh. Albus didn't either.

"She has a point. You've gone a bit soft." His wife followed him into the tent. She no longer seemed as irate as she had been only a few moments before, but she certainly wasn't remotely friendly.

"Oh, now you're on her side?" Harry snorted at his wife. "She just had a knife to our son's throat!"

"Technically it was a machete." I interrupted without thinking. Both of them turned to glare at me.

Albus grabbed me roughly by the arm and dragged me to one of the sleeping quarters. Three sets of bunk beds were placed along each tapestry lined wall. The moment he released my arm I tried to rub the dull ache out. Albus looked me over with a hard resolve. He didn't care at all that he'd hurt me.

I could vaguely make out bits and pieces of Harry and Ginny's harshly whispered, incredibly angry conversation. I could make out her words much better than his due to the shrillness of her voice. Snippets filtered in like "You of all people should understand" and "Look at her! She's practically a bag of bones!" and "For fucks sake, Harry. They are children!" Albus frowned at her words, but didn't acknowledge them.

"You two will be bunking with James and I so we can keep an eye on you. I'd have let you sleep in Lily's quarters if I didn't think you'd try to kill her in the middle of the night." Albus grumbled as he unpacked my knapsack. He slowly inspected each item in my bag one by one as if he expected some dark magic to pop out at him.

He was especially fixated on our circumspect compass which may or may not be broken. He mostly ignored the empty tuna can, the slightly water logged lighter, the rusty tea kettle, and our water bottles. The compass and the machete were much more interesting to him.

I was quite surprised that Theo hadn't bothered to stick by my side or come looking for me the moment Albus dragged me in here. He trusted them too much. He was always too trusting. If it weren't for his trusting nature, his god forsaken need to see the good in everyone, we would have never joined our first camp. Nora would have been somewhere safer. Somewhere less afraid. We'd have had more time to train her on how to control her magic.

Albus picked up our wands, surveying each of them. There's a certain vulnerability that comes with another wizard holding your wand.

"Which is yours?" He asked in a tone much softer than the harsh one I was becoming accustomed to. Instead of putting me at ease, it rather set my guard up. I eyed my blade on his bed, contemplating whether or not I could spring for it before him if need be.

"The acacia one." I smiled sadly. Oh, I missed magic.

"And Theodore's is hazel? A bit of a sensitive wand he's got there, don't you think?" He snorted as if it was some kind of joke. I narrowed my eyes.

"A fiercely loyal wand, you mean?" I snapped glancing again at my blade. I could get it before he knew what was happening.

He looked at me for a long moment. His hardened gaze was more curious than anything. His eyes studied mine, searching for something. I'm not sure he'd like what he found. His gaze dropped to my nose. His lips turned up slightly. His gaze surveyed my lips for the briefest moment before flicking back up to my eyes again. It all made me feel…exposed. I didn't like feeling that way one bit.

"And a fiercely loyal friend, as well, it seems," he said finally, emphasizing every word with a smirk.

"LUNCH!" Ginny Potter's voice called. Albus whirled around, stalking to the kitchen. I followed him closely. I noticed he didn't confiscate my machete as I had anticipated. It was still neatly on the bed. I couldn't wait to sleep in a bed instead of a tree.

Lunch consisted of asparagus from a can, salt cured pork, and a yeast roll that Ginny proudly made from scratch. If it had been a few months ago I'd probably have sneered at such bland food, but Theodore and I ate like uncivilized beasts. I licked the last of the pork drippings from my fingers and glanced up. The entirety of the Potter family was watching with a mix of horror and disgust.

"We've been living off pine needle tea and insects. Cut us some slack," I said with more hostility than I had meant.

"A sprinkling of red foxes here and there." Theo added thoughtfully.

"Foxes?" Lily asked excitedly.

"Yeah, Riya dug out some traps in the ground, but we couldn't always circle back and we didn't always have time to set the traps up." Theo explained. We'd had maybe five foxes in the past few months. That's hardly enough to survive.

Lily crinkled her nose when she realized that we were eating the foxes. I'm not sure what she was expecting. I've never tried to milk a fox before, but I don't imagine it an easy task.

"It would be nice to have some fresh dinner!" James chimed in. He seemed less bitter towards us than he was earlier.

"I'm sure Riya can set some traps up a little ways from the camp." Theo looked at me for agreement. I realized what he was doing. Offering our skills in exchange for their forced hospitality. I nodded.

"Oh, and Mr. Potter, I meant to ask you about the Fidelius Charm. I didn't realize you could cast it on portable things like tents. I thought it was just for buildings."

Harry Potter smiled tightly at Theo. Theo was a total parent pleaser. Even when associated with someone like me.

"Ah! I thought that too. It turns out nearly anything can be charmed with it. It's very difficult spell work though. I had to have a friend of mine do it for me." Harry explained.

"Why didn't you just use the Fidelius Charm on your own house?" Theo asked. It was a viable question. Harry's smile faltered.

"Before we fled with the tent, some of our friends did that. Unfortunately, it turns out explosive spellwork using goblin magic can take out entire blocks, with or without protection charms."

"Oh, I'm very sorry for your loss." Theo told him solemnly. I was curious about who he knew that was now dead, but it would be rude to ask.

Ginny Potter gathered the plates from the table to carry to the sink. I chose to follow her rather than listen to Theo suck up. Besides, Theo had the right idea. Offer our services in exchange for forced hospitality. Then maybe they won't kill us in our sleep.

I fell into place drying the dishes she scrubbed with a ratty kitchen towel and stacking them. She said nothing to me and I didn't bother to break the silence. With all the dishes cleaned and stacked, I rejoined the table where Harry seemed much more calm. He was even freely smiling a bit.

"Well, if she was going to gut one of them at least it was our least favorite, right Gin?" Harry joked to his wife as she sat down.

She glared at her husband and James whined loudly. Lily, however, guffawed hysterically at this.

"We all know Lily is the favorite around here!" Albus chuckled, causing James to protest loudly.

Theo leaned back in his seat beside me and squeezed my hand lightly. Still not a smile, but a content look. He was happy to be back with other human beings. With people that couldn't predict most of what he was going to say before he said it. I lightly squeezed his hand back.

Theo's gaze returned to Harry teasing James about his new role as the least favorite child. My eyes left Theo and promptly met the emerald eyes of Albus. His face wasn't necessarily stoic, but it wasn't the soft face I'd been treated to before lunch.

"Riya!" Theo's slender fingers snapped in my face.

"What?" I asked, blinking suddenly.

"I've been calling you! You must have zoned out again." Theo rolled his eyes at me. I glanced back at Albus, where I had apparently zoned out, who had a smug smirk painted across his face.

"What can I do you for, Theodore?" I rhymed. He loved rhymes.

"I was just telling Harry that we could show him how we set up some of the traps right now if you're feeling up to it." Theo repeated.

"Oh, yeah, sure. I just need my machete." I hastily replied. A sour look spread on all of the Potter family's faces.

I sighed deeply. "I promise not to threaten anyone with it." I told them dutifully. Lily snickered.


	4. Chapter 4

I went to my designated sleeping space and grabbed the blade off my bed. My shadow felt heavy and I spun around slowly to see I was, indeed, being followed.

"I'll have you know the last boy I found following me had my blade at his throat for a solid fifteen minutes." I informed Albus who has leaning in the doorway with his arms crossed his chest. I wanted nothing more than to smack that icy stare off his face. Not quite as hateful as before but definitely still condescending.

"Well he's always been the slowest of us. Never seeker or keeper material. More like a beater. All force, no speed," Albus said thoughtfully.

"No stealth either. Definitely not a chaser." I added amused despite my annoyance. Albus was weird, simply put. Hot and cold. Relaxed and tensed. Friendly and hostile.

"Well, I'm here because I highly doubt anyone would feel comfortable with you skulking around unsupervised. Particularly with that _thing_." He acknowledged my blade.

"They knew I was going to go get it!" I protested. He shrugged noncommittally causing my eye to twitch. What was it that Theo was always saying about anger management? Don't punch it out, breathe it out. Fine, Theo. Fine. HEE-HOO. I inhaled and exhaled deeply.

Harry, Theo, and Lily were waiting by the tent entrance for the pair of us. Ginny and James had disappeared off somewhere and the idea of it made me incredibly nervous. I gripped my blade handle even tighter. It was suspicious that at a time like this, at my rather chaotic arrival, they'd split up. If they were smart, and I believed them to be, they wouldn't take their eyes off me.

"If you have any knives or shears I can teach you how to set a trap. It's pretty straightforward." I suggested, trying to seem chipper instead of suspicious.

The possible enemy can never know that you know they are the possible enemy. It's not asinine, it's survival 101. Take my class.

Theo held up a couple of dull kitchen knives and winked at me. It wasn't the cool wink you'd expect from someone named Theo. It was the mortifyingly exaggerated wink you'd expect from someone named Theodore while he spilled a slushy down his shirt at a professional quidditch game (which I've seen him do twice).

"Fine, know it all!" I teased him.

We stepped just outside of the shimmering veil of protective spellwork and I dug a fox sized hole into the moist soil. I wasn't sure when it had rained but it must have been recent. Maybe during lunch. A few hours in safety and I was already losing the basic instincts I had spent months developing.

"So, once you have the hole dug, you want to place these sharpened spears for the fox to fall on. These sticks here seem like they'll be pretty good for this." I instructed, passing out a stick for each of them that was scattered on the ground.

Everyone except Lily pulled out a kitchen knife and sharpened their stick as I demonstrated sharpening it into a point. Lily watched with a torn expression.

"Trust me, I know. My parents are vegetarians." I told her, straining to sound sympathetic. I really wasn't. Now isn't the time to worry about the damn fluffy bunnies or adorable foxes. Now is the time to keep your caloric intake high enough to not be a burden.

"The sharper the stick the faster the kill. You don't want to make anything suffer." Theo told her gently. I bit back the urge to roll my eyes at the softness of his tone. All mushy and awful. It wasn't jealousy that he didn't use that tone with me or anything like that. Although, he didn't. I was the one that always had to soften the blows for him. Albus maintained a look of utmost determination while sharpening his stick. It was a primal stare that I was sure had been plastered on my own face when we were in a worse state of hunger. At least he could recognize the importance of what this whole thing was about.

"Now that it's nice and sharp, push it in the ground about this deep." I demonstrated, jabbing the stick pointy end up into the soil. The slightly moist ground made the sticks go in with ease. I patted the soil around each of the sticks so it was compact and less likely to fall over.

"I can't believe I didn't think of this before." Harry groaned. I hopped up, dusting my dirt caked hands onto my dirt caked jeans. The others followed suit. Theo fell into step beside Lily and Harry. I noticed that he was swinging his hands by his side. He didn't typically do that. I wrinkled my nose at the oddity. He's been acting weird since we arrived here.

"Maybe dad won't kill you lot after all." Albus interrupted my observations. I glanced at Harry who was laughing at something Theo said. Lily was giggling. The back of her hand brushed Theo's. I could see the back of his ears tinge pink.

Oh, Merlin's sweet beard! Theo had a crush! I wanted to both confront him and squeal for him. Of all the damn times to think about romance rubbish!

"Your dad wouldn't have a chance in hell." I muttered.

When we filed into the tent, everyone fell silent. The radio was rattling off wizarding news. Messages that people could get in for the family members that were missing, a list of those dead, a list of places that had been targeted, what the goblin-run Ministry was like at the moment. It was exactly like dinner time at our old camp before it was overrun. The sound of the radio set my teeth on edge.

Theo and I settled into a burgundy loveseat that smelled faintly of pipe tobacco. He leaned forward, ears perked for any news at all. I rested my head on his shoulder. It felt bonier than it had a few months back. He smelled like dirt and exhaustion. He wrapped his arm around my own shoulder absentmindedly.

"Have either of you heard from your family?" Harry asked noticing Theo's demeanor stiffen as they began to read the messages for lost families.

"I heard from mine before communication went down and the owls were being intercepted." I informed him. I said nothing about Theo's parents.

They had been visiting the Americas when it happened. He managed to send a warning letter to his parents telling them not to come back. He and Nora would meet them in Salem by next month. The days were ticking by and next month wasn't likely to happen. We aren't even sure if they got the letter, but if they did and their kids didn't show up they'd no doubt come looking. They'd no doubt be killed.

"I'm sure they're fine," Ginny suddenly said in a motherly, reassuring tone. I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. We had to make it out of here.

"You said you only needed shelter for a few days. Where are you going?" Harry asked.

"Greenland. The Ministry of Magic there will be able to contact Riya's dad and get us to Goa." Theo answered. Part of me wanted to scream at Theo. Maybe we don't tell people information that could be used against us if captured.

"Goa?" James asked as if he could scan a mental map. Most people outside of India didn't bother to learn the regions, even tourist hotspots.

"It's the island in India my parents are from. My father maintains the seat on Rajya Sabha (Council of the States) within the Ministry of Magic there. Mother always said that he only joined politics to ensure the Indian Institute of Oceanography had plenty of funding. Besides being a doting husband and father, he's first and foremost a scientist." I explained and then decided that I should scream at myself too. I just blurbed way too much information.

"Isn't that what you want to do as well? I think I remember Hagrid mentioning you were going to study magical animals there." Albus asked. I was beyond surprised. My mouth hung open, a gaping mass of stupidity.

"That's been her dream since she was six!" Theo answered for me, giving me a strange look. I managed to nod.

"What's your dad's name? I feel like I've met him before." Harry asked.

"Mohan Gosavi." I told him reluctantly. We were in too deep.

"Did he ever work in Britain by any chance?" Harry asked thoughtfully, rubbing the stubble on his chin absentmindedly.

"From when I was ten until last year he commuted between Goa and London. He figured that I had already done O.W.L.s and had N.E.W.T.s coming up this year so he didn't force me to transfer schools when they moved back permanently."

"Gosavi. I remember him. Quiet man. Didn't he find Nessie and take her back to Loch Ness when she escaped? She found her way into the Thames if I remember right." Harry squinted.

"One of his proudest moments!" I confirmed feeling a little pang of homesickness. Dad and his blaring cricket games would sound so much better than the rattling of death lists.

"How was it that she ended up there anyway?" Ginny asked.

"He thinks kelpie poachers got her by accident. Naturally she put up quite the fight."

Almost everyone laughed except Theo who was listening keenly to the radio. I paused to listen. They were listing reports of the Ministry. I wound my hand into his. It was clammy again. I refrained from my mental disgust rant and I squeezed his hand reassuringly.

"They've taken someone of yours?" James asked in a sensitive tone. One I wouldn't normally attribute to boisterous Gryffindors.

Theo nodded absently, a shade of ghostly pale. "Nora, my sister."

"How old was she?" Lily asked in a quiet voice.

"Eleven." Theo answered blankly. He wasn't here. He wasn't with us. He was in the horrors of his mind now. He was imagining the worst.

Ginny gasped audibly.

"We'll get her back, Theo." I murmured. I didn't know if I believed it and he knew it.

"I think I'm going to turn in early," Theo said, standing up suddenly. "It's been months since the last time I slept in a bed."

It was true. We'd been sleeping in caverns and trees and muggle tents without sleeping bags since dung bombs hit the stove. The camp we had before only had a couple of cots. Most of us slept on the ground with blankets and towels.

Theo didn't make eye contact with me as everyone bid him good night. I'd talk to him when he had a chance to calm himself. Any sooner and he'd just shut down completely.

"The shower is right off the bedroom." Ginny called to him in a soothing tone. I briefly wondered if I'd even recognize him once he showered.

With the ever popular Theo gone, the atmosphere seemed to shift. He stole away any semblance of cheer the room had.

"So, Riya, are your parents Hindu?" James asked politely, trying to regain the atmosphere. In the distance I could hear the sound of running water and hoped that Theo didn't try to drown himself in the shower. Then I felt a longing for a shower. When was the last time I'd bathed somewhere other than wading through a stream?

"My father is. My mother is Catholic. Goa was a Portuguese territory for a bit until we regained independence. The Portuguese brought along Catholicism with them so you'll find a pretty good mix of religions there." I answered. It was nice to be able to talk about my family and my home. Theo already knew everything.

"Wow! So which do you follow?" Lily asked curiously.

I shrugged. "I suppose I see merits in both." I didn't want to admit that I've been asking myself the same question for ten years now. My parents were remarkably understanding, encouraging me to explore both religions, as well as other ones. My grandparents...well they were less than understanding. Let's just say that each set of grandparents believe my beliefs match their own.

Lily offered me an armful of books. "We usually spend evenings reading or playing chess." She explained as she encouraged me to select a book. I finally picked Homer's _The Iliad_. I'd read it a few times before under the encouragement of my summer tutor, but once more couldn't hurt.

A hush settled over the room as everyone opened their books. Harry was reading something that looked remarkably like a young adult novel. Ginny had a worn looking book about quidditch cracked open. James had a very thick book open, but if you looked closely you could see vibrant reds and yellows of what appeared to be a comic book sticking out the bottom. Albus was browsing through _Most Macabre Monstrosities_. My eyes darted down to my own book, worn and creased from many readers before me. I opened up the first page and stared at the mess of words swirling about. It was hard to think straight knowing Theo was so upset. It was hard to utilize leisure time when only yesterday that would be precious hunting or resting time.

"So, did you two know each other at Hogwarts?" Ginny asked, looking up from her book. I suppose I wasn't the only one not in the mood for family fun night. She looked expectantly from me to Albus.

"We shared a common room, but I don't think we ever exchanged any words." I answered.

"Sure we did." Albus disagreed.

"When?" I asked in surprise.

"I was fifth year, you were third. We played an entire game of wizard's chess. If I remember correctly, you won. You chanted something along the lines of 'in your face, you blast ended skrewt.'" Albus recounted. I cringed. I remembered. I just didn't remember that being him.

"Oh wow. I forgot about that." I replied with a blush creeping across my cheeks.

Albus shrugged. "I'm also pretty sure you crashed my birthday party my seventh year. If I remember correctly, you had to hex Michael Abrams and it couldn't wait until morning." I cringed again.

"He deserved it! He slipped me a love potion and I had to stay in the hospital wing for three hours!" I hissed. I wasn't ashamed of that one in the slightest.

"What about the time–" Albus began and I cut him off immediately.

"Enough about me. We could just talk about you instead. Is it true that in your sixth year on the night before we went home for winter holidays–" I started to ask about a particularly nasty rumor I had heard.

"Enough about us. My book is just getting to the good part." Albus interrupted. He pulled his book up so close to his face that his nose nearly touched the pages. I stifled a giggle.

Harry yawned and stretched, showing his pudgy belly to the world. They all seemed lethargic, but I was antsy. My whole body was humming with nervous energy. I should be doing something, anything. I can't just sit here and read.

"I'm going to go build some traps." I informed the party, hopping up from my spot. I grabbed my machete sitting on the seat beside me and practically sprinted out the tent. I began picking up and inspecting sticks of various sizes to make traps for different sized animals. With thirty or so sticks in hand, I sat on the ground, going to work sharpening each of them.

Part of me expected one of the Potters to come babysit me. Make sure I didn't murder anyone or bring any goblins around. I was surprised that even long after the sun did set and all of my sticks were sharpened to needle points that no one came out. I was relieved though. I could whittle away with my far too large blade and feel like I was doing something useful.

"I bet it would be easier with a pocket knife." James tossed a fluorescent green pocket knife at me.

"I don't think you're meant to throw knives." I joked. He sat beside me.

"You're forgiven for trying to kill me. Now we're even." He informed me. I laughed louder.

"Oh, thank you. I was very worried about it!" I teased. I was actually a bit worried about it. The entire family seemed to be having mood swings.

"You should have been worried! I could have killed you, y'know! That little corkscrew could have popped out and pierced your heart!" He clutched his own heart dramatically.

"How dare you try to assassinate me?" I cried out. He laughed.

"I guess it must have been pretty bad out there." James stared off into the darkening woods. The longer I stared, the more I thought I could see a small figure bobbing around. The thing about fear is that it plays tricks on your mind. The more you fear them the more goblins you'll imagine.

I nodded.

"You should get some rest. Your friend is sound asleep in his bunk." James told me. I snorted. Theo must have been as exhausted as he looked. We'd both seen better days.

"What's the bathing situation?" I asked looking down at the dirt caked on my skin and clothes.

"The shower is right off our room. Pull the lever straight up." James pulled me to my feet. He guided me toward the room with the beds we were meant to sleep in. On the top bunk of one was Theo, sound asleep, drool dripping down his chin. I smiled. He must feel safe here to be able to sleep that heavily.

The shower felt amazing on my aching muscles. After an eternity of scrubbing, the water swirling around my feet finally was acceptably clear. I wondered where the water came from and how it was so warm. I'd have to ask Lily later. She offered me her clothes while mine were being laundered in a wash basin. She said even after my two outfits total were clean I could keep borrowing her clothes. I didn't think I wanted to though. I didn't want to owe these people anymore than I already did.


	5. Chapter 5

"Merlin, Riya, could you snore any louder?" Albus sneered in a hushed whisper as I rolled over in my creaky bed for the fifth time that night, huffing loudly. I just couldn't bring myself to fall asleep.

"Beds are weird, don't you think?" I whispered absentmindedly, staring up at the tapestry above the bed. It had swirling constellations in the shape of lions and unicorns and men with bows. It wasn't nearly as soothing as the real stars stitched in the real sky just above the tapestry.

"In what way?" He snorted. I instantly felt a wave of stupidity crash over me. I barely knew this boy and here I am talking to him like he was an old friend. Like he was Theo.

"When the Ministry fell, did you ever not have this tent?" I asked. If he'd always had it, he'd never understand.

"My Aunt Hermione had a few days warning so we packed the tent and bugged out. We were separated after a goblin raid in the–Well, where we were before." Albus whispered. He didn't trust me enough to give me the location of the rest of his family. I didn't really blame him.

It was very difficult to hold a whispered conversation from a bunk above without waking anyone. I pulled my quilt off my body and scaled the wooden ladder at the end of the bed. I crawled onto his bed. He looked utterly bewildered, with his ruffled sleep hair and starry eyes. I slid under his quilt, causing his lips to curve softly.

"No funny business, it's just absolutely freezing." I sneered. It caused the smirky smile to spread widely across his face. Even in the dark, he had a nice smile. It was warm enough to fill me up, but not freely given. It felt like I truly earned it when he smiled.

"Out there, either Theo or I always had to be awake to be sure we weren't killed in our sleep either by goblins or worse, people just trying to survive. Every second you rest you are risking your life." I whispered much quieter than before.

"That sounds very difficult." Albus chose each word carefully. He closed his eyes, listening to my voice fill the silence of the night.

"It was. The thing is all I could think about was how much I missed a bag of crisps or my tiny bed in the dungeons. The ridiculously soft thing that nature could never mimic. All I wanted was those stupid things that stupid me never realized I needed."

"Well, I suppose you don't really need them. I mean, you survived, didn't you?" Albus mused, flicking his bright green eyes back open. He rolled over onto his side, propping his chin up with his elbow.

"I guess you're right." I conceded.

Despite the absolute hell we'd been through, here in this moment I felt semi-appreciative. God or the universe or fate or chance, whatever the thing that was guiding my life, decided that after everything I'd been through, after all my stupid impulsive decisions, things might actually be okay. I might find a nice boy to talk to in the middle of the night about absolutely nothing. I might find a nice family that wouldn't hold my actions too harshly against me. I might find a kitchen full of enough food to keep me alive to find my parents.

"But they make life a lot easier?" He asked. He'd sacrificed plenty during this rebellion, but he hadn't known that kind of hunger or that kind of exhaustion. He couldn't yet appreciate what he had. I didn't want him to have to appreciate it the same way I did.

"A lot easier." I smiled.

"Do you know what I miss most?" He whispered conspiratorially. In that whisper he seemed almost childlike. Not quite a boy, not quite a man. Somewhere stuck in between.

"What?" I asked, expecting him to say something deep and meaningful. Something like what Theo would no doubt say on one of his philosophical binges about life and love and everything in between.

"Being able to hex my siblings whenever I feel like it." He grinned mischievously.

I covered my mouth to conceal my laughter. We'd wake James and Theo at this rate. He only chuckled a bit. I forgot how much I missed laughing. True laughter at stupid things kids my age tend to say. Not bitter laughter at the absurdity of situations.

"That can't really be it!" I laughed. He considered it briefly, a playful smile on his lips.

"Well, that or the replenishing spells. Do you have any idea how annoying it is to reach all the way across the table for more beans?"

I rolled my eyes.

"You're obnoxious. Do you realize that I literally lived on nothing by pine needle tea for several days in a row?"

"Pine needle tea?" He cringed.

"It's exactly as horrible as it sounds. Great in vitamin C though. I'll drink the tea nonstop this fall and winter to avoid dragon pox."

"You don't think it'll change by then?" Albus asked in surprise.

"You do? I think we are well beyond peace negotiations at this point." I pointed out. Theo was holding out for peace. Without war, I'm not sure peace would be possible. We've done too much. They've done too much. There's too much to forgive.

"I think there's always hope when people want change," Albus said thoughtfully.

"The goblins must have had a lot of hope because they got a lot of change." I laughed darkly.

"Well, with a scary ass witch like you on our side I feel a lot better!" He joked. I smiled wholeheartedly.

"What did you end up doing after Hogwarts? I know James was playing for the Chudley Cannons because he was on the front page of literally every tabloid." Hell, I even miss tabloids with all the garbage printed on it. Especially the more bizarre ones throwing around wild accusations about who could be the father, or secret rehab stays, or conspiracies about the Minister being an alien.

"That's classified, ma'am," he said with a small wink. I raised my eyebrow at him.

"Fine! I've been training to be a combat healer at St. Mungo's." He huffed.

"A combat healer?" I asked in surprise. "For what combat?" There wasn't a war going on before. Did the Ministry know a war was coming?

"For aurors. I'd follow them into heavy situations and heal them." He explained, putting my fears to rest.

"That sounds like a high stress job!" I groaned.

"Oh, it was! And to think I was only in training! But it was worth it to keep people like my dad safe."

I nodded, my eyelids getting a bit heavy.

"For tonight you can just stay down here with me if you want. Maybe you'll sleep better if you know you're safe." Albus suggested in a soft voice.

"Safe? You could just as well slit my throat while I'm asleep!" I snorted, fluttering my eyes open.

"I'm training to be a healer, remember? Do no harm?" He laughed, nudging me in the shoulder.

"Well maybe you've forgotten!" It had been awhile since he'd been in training! War changes people, after all.

"You're the one with the history of violent behavior!" He accused with a soft chuckle.

"Minor violence!" I protested.

"That's only minor violence to you? Yeesh!" He nudged my shoulder again. It felt normal. All of this felt normal when it was the least normal thing in the world.

I let my eyes flutter close for good, succumbing to the temptress that was sleep. The darkness of terror free sleep was a companion that I had missed for so long.

I awoke to utter chaos. Warm arms encircled my waist. The smell of peppermint filled my senses. Then, I located the chaos. Theo shouting, James laughing, and Lily trying desperately to keep the peace.

"What's wrong?" I asked. My first thought was someone must have been taken.

Theo rounded on me, utterly livid. I'd never seen his soft brown eyes so fiery.

"It took him less than a day to _snake_ his way into your knickers, Riya! Less than a bloody day!" Theo was shouting.

"You've got to shut up. What in the hell are you talking about?" I asked again. It was only then that the something that was circling my waist pulled me closer.

"Oh, you've got to be taking the piss, Theo." I rolled my eyes.

"I've got to be? I'VE GOT TO BE?" He repeated, building up more self righteousness with every word.

"Yes, you bloody wanker! And snaking? Really? I'm a Slytherin too!" I growled.

"What would your parents think, Riya? Acting like such a slag." Theo hissed. He slapped a hand over his mouth but it was far too late. He knew the moment that words came from his mouth he'd gone too far.

I lunged from the bed, grabbed my blade, and brought it to his throat. He backed up against the tapestry lined wall.

"What did you just call me?" I snarled, moving the blade dangerously close.

He shook his head, eyes no longer fiery. They look exhausted.

"OUT!" I twisted my head back to yell at Lily and James. Albus seemed to still be asleep in the bed so I didn't bother to kick him out. The moment Lily and James scampered from the room I turned back to Theo with another snarl.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I asked him.

"It had to be him, too! Of all people, Riya, it couldn't be some nice guy. It had to be this moody asshole!"

He shook his head in disappointment. I felt the thundering urge to karate chop him in the throat on the spot. The abominable creature that I called my best friend.

"Let me make this perfectly fucking clear, Theodore Pinkerton. I could have sex with every single fucking person in this camp and that wouldn't be any of your damn business. I could have sex with half of Hogwarts and I'd expect you to either shut the fuck up about it or get out of my life. Do you understand me?" I annunciated every single word clearly.

He didn't say a word or shake his head.

"For the record, you slept with Margaret Tinsbury in fifth year. Seeing as I haven't been with a single person, I think that makes you the slag out of the two of us." I pressed further as an afterthought. I dropped my blade and turned my back to him. I'd prefer to go back to sleep than to deal with awkward tension hanging in the air. I gazed a moment at the dark eyelashes of the sleeping boy. He'd laugh when he hears about this fight, no doubt.

"Riya, I fancy you." Theo blurted out. I froze, my back from him, an alarmed look swept my features. My eyes became saucers and my eyebrows shot up to my hairline.

"I know you don't fancy me back. And that's okay, really, it is. I just couldn't handle you…" He trailed off. It was my turn not to say anything.

"I just couldn't handle you falling in love with him that easily. Not after I've been struggling with it for years." I bit my lip. I mean, of course I had a strong inkling of it, but I couldn't return those affections so I had hoped he'd get over it. It's exactly why I pushed Margaret to ask him to Hogsmeade in the first place.

"Theo, I don't love him. I'm not falling in love with him. I've known him less than a day. I genuinely couldn't sleep. That's all." I told him. I hope it brought him some comfort at least. I climbed back into bed, my bed that is, and waited for Theo to leave. When he did, I let out a deep, low sigh that I had been biting back. This was going to be a Class A Clusterfuck.

"That was the second most awkward morning-after of my life." Albus joked quietly.

"Top one for me." I whispered without the humor of his voice.

"I was ready for breakfast, but I think it's safer if I just fall back asleep." Albus decided.

My eyes fluttered close and I pretended to fall back asleep. With so much adrenaline coursing through my veins, sleep would never return to me.

Midday, I couldn't pretend any longer and I climbed out of bed. All the other beds were empty. The tent was empty of the expected occupants so I pushed my way out of the tent. Despite the obvious signs of impending rain, everyone was working around the border of the protections spells. James and Albus were sorting through stacks of plants on a picnic table. James smiled goofily up at me, beckoning me over to them. I glanced over at Theo and Lily, diligently canning some sort of fruit that I didn't recognize. Theo glanced up at me only briefly, giving me a small wave. A wave saying we'd be fine. Not today, but we'd be fine.

"What are you lot up to?" I asked, settling into the table across from James and Albus.

"James collected a bunch of herbs while stalking you. I'm identifying which ones are safe, which ones are useful, and which ones will kill us on the spot," Albus said flippantly, adding a bundle of green to a pile on the table.

"Well, if James picked up any deadly herbs I'm a little worried about his ability to differentiate them." I smirked. James snorted.

"It's funny you say that. I said the exact same thing to get out of this awful chore." James complained with a laugh.

"Fine, Riya will help me. You're banished to canning with the children." Albus pointed to Theo and Lily.

"The children are less moody anyway." James rolled his eyes, standing up from the table.

"Well, this is a promising start!" I held up a pretty, snowflake like flowering plant that James picked up.

"What is it?" Albus asked, not glancing up as he counted the leaves on a plant.

"Poison hemlock." I dangled the flower in front of his face. He looked up in shock and then swore under his breath.

"Bloody idiot." He growled. He snatched the pretty white flower from my hand and tossed it into its own pile.

"I bet he mixed it up with cow parsnip. They're pretty similar looking." I gave James the benefit of the doubt.

"That doesn't make him any less of an idiot." Albus insisted, gazing intently at another herb bundle.

"So how are you so good at plant identification?" I asked. He didn't even reference the textbook he had sitting at the end of the table.

"Healer training, remember? Besides, I've had plenty of time to practice out here." He sorted another bundle into a pile.

Lily's boisterous laughter sprinkled the air and I glanced back at her, James, and Theo chatting amiably.

"They seem to get on really well." Albus murmured.

"Theo gets on with everyone." I replied dismissively.

"Well, Lily certainly doesn't get on that well with everyone." Albus smirked.

I glanced back at them again. The look in her eye was one I was used to seeing. It was the look of someone hanging on to your every word. It was the look Theo used to give me back before the goblin rebellion happened. There was a pang in my stomach at the thought. Was it jealousy? No. Was it guilt? No. Was it longing? No. Maybe it was just nostalgia.

"Well I'm happy that she likes him well enough." I stated neutrally.

"Oh, I think she likes him more than well enough," Albus said as he stopped examining the plant in his hands. He eyed me curiously. He was looking for something. I shrugged.

His eyes bored into mine so I held his gaze. His vibrant green eyes, flecked with gold and blue stared at me unwaveringly. A smirk played on his lips as if challenging me. I'm not sure what he was playing at, but I certainly wasn't invited to learn the rules. Too many moments passed before I responded.

"I'd do anything to see him smile again." I finally said. Albus quirked an eyebrow at me.

"Almost anything, you mean." His gaze was making me uncomfortable.

"Well, you didn't lie to him this morning. You could have told him you fancy him back. I'm sure it would have made him smile." Albus gave nothing away with his expression. Was he teasing me? Was he enjoying our conflict?

"It would have brought him no joy. He would have known it was a lie." I frowned.

"He'd have known, sure. But he would have hoped it wasn't." Albus countered.

I sighed heavily. "What's your point?" I didn't bother to hide the irritation in my voice. Albus shrugged.

"Just that you wouldn't do anything to make him smile. You maintain your sense of self." Albus replied cryptically, smirking once more.

"Oh, yes. I'm quite noble. My honesty knows no bounds," I said sarcastically.

Albus scoffed. "So humble too."

"And overall flawless. You're right." I agreed.

A collective of gasps emanated from James, Theo, and Lily. Albus and I looked up to see what had happened. My first assumption, for some unknown reason, was that Theo and Lily were snogging. They definitely were not snogging. Instead, James was holding Lily and Theo was standing bravely in front of both of them, chin held high in defiance. He almost looked like me.

In front of the three of them stood a three goblins, searching for signs of life. I instinctively sucked in my breath and I felt Albus do the same. His hand slowly moved to mine. I tried to look at him but it felt like gravity didn't want me to move. Or maybe my nervous system just trying to keep me alive. When my eyes finally met his, he looked truly, genuinely, undoubtedly petrified.

Theo knew what to do. He braced Lily and James, making sure they didn't move. Despite the extensive charms, despite the Fidelius, anything could set them off. If they knew for certain we were here, no doubt they'd be clever enough to find a way to get to us.

The seconds turned to minutes. They were still searching for clues to our existence, but they'd spread out across the area. Lily tried to move but Theo shook his head. They weren't likely to hear us with a strong muffliato cast, but they might. Goblins had extremely sensitive hearing to make up for their notoriously bad eyesight.

Suddenly, Harry pushed his way out of the tent, humming to himself. He noticed immediately and went silent but it was too late. He stopped dead in his tracks and I prayed to gods I wasn't sure I believed in that the concealment was enough. The goblin closest to the tent stopped for a moment, perking his ears slightly. He glanced around and then made eye contact with me. My heart was pounding, blood rushing to my ears. I felt the response my nervous system had put out moments ago shift from freeze to fight. Flight never seemed to be an option. Despite the urge and despite the eye contact I was making with the tubby little goblin, I stayed rooted. Albus seemed to recognize that something had changed in me and wrapped a hand firmly around my wrist. _Borough High Street, Lavender Hill, Piccadilly Market._

After several more seconds of the goblin staring through me, the group seemed to advance into the forest to continue the hunt. They were long gone when I finally let my breath out.

Theo rushed over to me, wrapping his arms around me.

"We knew they'd come at some point," I said to comfort myself more than anything.

"Never again." Theo whispered in my ear as he squeezed the life out of me.

"Never again what?" I asked completely confused.

"Never again will we fight over anything ever." Theo released me a moment, held me a short length out from him, then pulled me back in for a brief but tight hug.

"Never again." I agreed. I honestly felt like it was a promise I could keep.

"We all need to come in for the day." James came up behind us. I nodded, more than happy to sit in the safety of the tent for a few hours.

In the safety of the tent, Harry and Ginny were arguing in harsh whispers. They didn't actually need to whisper anymore but that didn't stop them. James sat at the table and shuffled a deck of cards. Lily sat beside him, calling Theo to come join them. He glanced at me, either inviting me or asking for my approval. I rolled my eyes, but smiled at him. I didn't want to do anything like that at the moment. I just wanted to sharpen weapons and come up with something, anything to not make me feel so helpless. I sat in the large leather recliner that faced the table where they were playing cards. Just as I reached to grab the book on the table, Albus threw a block of wood into my lap.

"Thanks for this!" I said sarcastically, removing the chunk from my thighs.

"Something for you to whittle." He explained. The tip of my tongue had some sort of sarcastic comment, but I couldn't spit it out. It was actually pretty thoughtful.

"Thanks then," I said, testing my blade on the wood to see how it splintered. I immediately brought my knife to the wood, aimlessly shredding away the layers.

"So, that was pretty intense." Albus broke the silence of my concentration.

"What?" I asked distractedly. He didn't answer so I glanced up at him. His face was marred with astonishment.

"What?" I repeated.

"The goblin pack coming to hunt us down! Merlin, how desensitized are you to this kind of stuff?" He asked in disbelief.

"I'm not! I just didn't realize that's what you were talking about." I protested. He shook his head and rubbed his face.

"Have you seen many yourself?" I asked, shaving the wood rhymically.

"Two. Both from a distance. James has seen more though." Albus answered distractedly. He was lost in thought.

"When he's out stalking innocent people." I added.

"Yeah, when he's out protecting our family." Albus amended.

I meant to retaliate, but I yawned loudly instead.

"Too boring for you?" Albus sneered.

"What I wouldn't give for a good cuppa." I groaned. Even Puddifoot's.

"We've got plenty of tea," Albus said simply.

"YOU'VE HAD TEA ALL THIS TIME!" I roared with frustration.

"Well you've only been here a day!" Albus snorted.

He glanced down at my small pocket knife I had unconsciously been brandishing and visibly gulped.

"Oh, relax. I'm not going to gut you for some tea." I rolled my eyes, but pocketed the knife all the same. His tensed shoulders relaxed.

I stood up and he jumped up from his spot. "I just told you I'm not going to gut you. Relax." I groaned. His lips twitched.

"I was just going to show you where the tea is."


End file.
